High end processors VS low end processors/receivers, hardware differences?

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Originally Posted by rlpiii

I'd say the majority of us that are into this hobby can hear a difference between different pre-amps, receivers, power amps, and speakers. If not, then we'd all be happy with the $399 HTIB and not be reading this forum.

When people treat it like a hobby that is when you come up with these silly subjective opinions.

Originally Posted by CaliFan

On the subject of High End processors and any differences: I just set up a new Cary Audio Cinema11a. Wow!

For audio it blows away anything I have heard so far (Anthem, Integra, Classe, Marantz, Arcam).

Did you run DBT's to see if there was a difference in audio?

Originally Posted by wes

Classé also only does Audio as a matter of fact they have no video processing in the SSP-800!

And? If there is no video options for that processor why is the price so high?

[PalmHarbor]

When it comes to processors, all units must meet the specifications of Dolby Labs to decode their dolby digital movies.
There is no latitude there and therefore little difference in that function.

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Originally Posted by PalmHarbor

When it comes to processors, all units must meet the specifications of Dolby Labs to decode their dolby digital movies.
There is no latitude there and therefore little difference in that function.

Exactly, a $400 receiver is going to decode DD/DTS the exact same way a $30,000 theta will.

[gstarr]

"In my experience, having worked with Bob Carver since the mid 1960s, speakers make the greatest difference by far. The preamp is second, but way below speakers. The amps are considerably less important than the preamp, but that doesn't mean they are not important, just that, assuming they have decent specs and have sufficient power to easily drive the speakers, amps are less different sounding than speakers (huge difference) or preamplifiers (large difference)."

I agree pretty much as far as components are concerned. But I would say that right after speakers are your room acoustics--maybe even ahead of speakers (as long as you have good speakers). It is a rare room that has great acoustics the way it is lived in. When I added room treatments in one of my media rooms, it made a huge improvement.

I won a contest a few months back and received a NeptuneQ (MSRP $4K). I put it in my upstairs surround system and it also made a huge improvement. It basically does with electrical equalization what room treatment does, except it has some advantages in certain areas and some weaknesses. If the room is really terrible acoustically, you will still need some room treatments. Fortunately, my upstairs room only weak point is a couple of nulls in the bass and the Neptune with a couple off bass traps fixed that up.

Greg

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Originally Posted by gstarr

"In my experience, having worked with Bob Carver since the mid 1960s, speakers make the greatest difference by far. The preamp is second, but way below speakers. The amps are considerably less important than the preamp, but that doesn't mean they are not important, just that, assuming they have decent specs and have sufficient power to easily drive the speakers, amps are less different sounding than speakers (huge difference) or preamplifiers (large difference)."

I agree pretty much as far as components are concerned. But I would say that right after speakers are your room acoustics--maybe even ahead of speakers (as long as you have good speakers). It is a rare room that has great acoustics the way it is lived in. When I added room treatments in one of my media rooms, it made a huge improvement.

I won a contest a few months back and received a NeptuneQ (MSRP $4K). I put it in my upstairs surround system and it also made a huge improvement. It basically does with electrical equalization what room treatment does, except it has some advantages in certain areas and some weaknesses. If the room is really terrible acoustically, you will still need some room treatments. Fortunately, my upstairs room only weak point is a couple of nulls in the bass and the Neptune with a couple off bass traps fixed that up.

Greg

Funny thing with electronic room correction, the high end users and companies will poo poo a product like audyssey just because it is used in non high end receivers.

[gstarr]

"Funny thing with electronic room correction, the high end users and companies will poo poo a product like audyssey just because it is used in non high end receivers."

That is because many audiophiles don't understand the scientific reasons for room acoustic balancing. They think that any other circuit that gets in the way of the signal is a bad thing. This isn't true when you're room acoustics aren't great and your speakers need to be balanced. High quality electronic EQ can do a lot of good things, not to mention acoustic wall treatments and bass traps.

Greg